With the improvements to corn genetics in the past decades, corn stalks have become extremely tough and far more damaging to farm equipment, and in particular far more damaging to farm equipment tires. Farm equipment is very expensive, so it is important for farmers to prolong the quality of their capital investments, and the extremely tough, genetically-modified corn stalks have become an unwelcomed threat to the longevity of farm equipment.
The tougher corn stalks have also required extra horsepower from corn harvester combines to shred the tougher corn stalks. This not only results in extra fuel being used by the corn harvester combine, but it also results in slower ground speeds of the combine while harvesting. One alternate option has been to shred the tougher corn stalks with mowing machinery after the harvest, but this option requires an extra tractor, extra fuel, extra equipment wear, and precious time.
Shredded corn stalks and fodder from the tougher corn stocks have also become more susceptible to being moved around the field by wind and water thereby disrupting the even laying of the stalks on the field by the combine during harvesting. This has caused thick mats of shredded stalks and fodder to gather in some areas of the harvested field, while leaving exposed ground in others. While the shredded stalks and fodder are biodegradable and beneficial to the soil, too much in one area also causes wet spots to appear in the field.
Existing options for dealing with the tougher corn stocks also leave the first few inches of the corn stalk at ground level sticking upright and exposed, and it is the bottom part of the stalk closest to ground level that is the toughest of all, and most likely to cause damage to farm tires. Many tires for corn harvester combines cost over $1,500.00 per tire to replace.
The corn stalk rollers of the present invention overcome all of these problems.